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NC woman saw lottery ticket that could make her a fortune. She’s glad she bought one.

A North Carolina woman saw a scratch-off ticket that offered the chance for $1 million, so she tried her luck on one and landed the big prize, N.C. lottery officials said Tuesday.

Kelly Wyatt of Statesville bought the $30 Millionaire Maker ticket at Fast Phil’s on Mocksville Highway in Statesville, according to a lottery news release.

She beat odds of 1 in 2.95 million, according to the lottery website.

Wyatt had the choice of taking the prize as an annuity of $50,000 over 20 years or a $600,000 lump sum. She chose the lump sum when she arrived to claim her prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Monday, officials said.

After taxes, she took home $426,069, according to the lottery.

Wyatt became the 25th winner of a $1 million Millionaire Maker prize since the game debuted in March 2021, officials said.

Daniel Jenkins of Lincolnton won the top prize in the Jan. 5 second-chance drawing — the second of three drawings in the Millionaire Maker second-chance promotion, according to the lottery.

A North Carolina woman saw a scratch-off ticket that offered the chance for $1 million, so she tried her luck on one and landed the big prize, N.C. lottery officials said Tuesday, March 8, 2022.
A North Carolina woman saw a scratch-off ticket that offered the chance for $1 million, so she tried her luck on one and landed the big prize, N.C. lottery officials said Tuesday, March 8, 2022. N.C. Education Lottery

This story was originally published March 8, 2022 at 11:07 AM.

Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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